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Track Key Install?

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I have reading on this forum about the track key and read that the red key is all that some of you use. Is it worth it for me to get the track key? I do not track or plan to, I use my Boss to get back and forth to work and I at times get stuck in bumper to bumper traffic here in D.C. I read that sometimes the car bucks forward with the track key and would hate to hit someone in front of me. Just looking for thoughts if the track key is worth the money since I do not track the car and deal with alot of traffic.
 

FLGator

2013 Boss 302 LS #196 - Shadow
122
42
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Florida
You will get the loey idle and more torque in the midrange. Good for road-course track days, but I don't see it will do you much good in DC traffic. I could be wrong and hopefully someone else will chime-in. If you do opt to get one, check posts here at BMO. You will want to have a dealer that has done a couple before doing yours and I would suggest you buy the license to activate your trackey from either Levittown or Tousley Ford, they will generally give you the best deals.
 
I called the local Ford dealer for an install price and they said it is two hours of labor and will run $230. Does that sound right? I thought I read it was an hour.
 
If im not mistaken, the ford install manual says 1hr, but usually takes a little bit longer than that. My dealership quoted me 5hrs, which i thought was crazy.

IMHO, 2hrs is fair. But their hourly rate is on the high side.
Have they done a track key install before?
 
F.D. Sako said:
If im not mistaken, the ford install manual says 1hr, but usually takes a little bit longer than that. My dealership quoted me 5hrs, which i thought was crazy.

IMHO, 2hrs is fair. But their hourly rate is on the high side.
Have they done a track key install before?

He said they have done 3. When I called the person on the phone had no idea what I was talking about. Put me on hold and found the person that has done the 3 installs. Looks like the are not all trained but one or two people.
 
knappj69 said:
I have reading on this forum about the track key and read that the red key is all that some of you use. Is it worth it for me to get the track key? I do not track or plan to, I use my Boss to get back and forth to work and I at times get stuck in bumper to bumper traffic here in D.C. I read that sometimes the car bucks forward with the track key and would hate to hit someone in front of me. Just looking for thoughts if the track key is worth the money since I do not track the car and deal with alot of traffic.


The car won't buck or anything like that. It just changes some of the acceleration parameters... makes it more aggressive. Its not any more difficult to drive than using the regular key, just more fun. To be honest, the car should have come like this from the factory. This is how its meant to be...the regular key will become your valet key.
 
For me TK is not as smooth and is more difficult to drive smoothly compared to the silver key. While you're not likely to run someone over I do pay more attention when pedestrians are close. With that said I use my TK most of the time and only leave it at home if I expect to be driving in stop and go traffic.
 

FLGator

2013 Boss 302 LS #196 - Shadow
122
42
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Florida
I talked to the service rep and mechanic when they did my trackey install and 1 hour is enough. When they did mine they drove the car to the maintenance area, did the work, invited me to ride with him when he checked it out, and has it back to me in less than an hour. Don't pay for your dealer's training time. Ford/the dealership should be paying for their mechanic's training, not you. If they can't do it in an hour, they have problems.
 
knappj69 said:
He said they have done 3. When I called the person on the phone had no idea what I was talking about. Put me on hold and found the person that has done the 3 installs. Looks like the are not all trained but one or two people.

Ya, that's usually the case at every dealership, only 1 person is qualified or knows what theyre doing.

I retract the statement i made about their rate being a little expensive, for some reason i thought you wrote $290, instead of 230.
 
I contacted Tasca Ford just this afternoon about activating mine and was told usually takes less than an hour, they probably have done quite a few though. Once all the salt is finally off the roads I will be getting it done.
 
110
0
Are there any members on here located around the NE Ohio area that could recommend a dealer to have the track key install done?
 
Ordered the track key from Tousley Ford and will have it installed next week. Is there anything that will indicate that the install was not done right? Is there a way to tell that the install was completed 100% correct? Just wondering if there is anything I should be looking for when I pick it up from the dealer.
 

FLGator

2013 Boss 302 LS #196 - Shadow
122
42
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Florida
knappj69 - When you pick up your car use the trackey to start the car. You should see "TRACKEY ACTIVE TRACK USE ONLY" in the message center between your gauges. Let the car warm-up and after about 2 minutes, you should see "TRACKEY IDLE ENABLED" and you will hear your lopey idle.

This link will give you more info and should be part of the packet you received: Owner Instructions

Of course, if you try accessing/changing the Launch control and/or Pit Land Speed Control and are successful, then the install was good.
 
FLGator said:
knappj69 - When you pick up your car use the trackey to start the car. You should see "TRACKEY ACTIVE TRACK USE ONLY" in the message center between your gauges. Let the car warm-up and after about 2 minutes, you should see "TRACKEY IDLE ENABLED" and you will hear your lopey idle.

This link will give you more info and should be part of the packet you received: Owner Instructions

Of course, if you try accessing/changing the Launch control and/or Pit Land Speed Control and are successful, then the install was good.

Thanks. Very excited to have it installed and start it for the first time.
 

Tucson 302

2013 Black LS #439
I know I read that when you get Trackey installed that Ford sends you a sticker or something to place in the engine well that says something about emissions compliance, but is there something else they send as well? I had mine installed yesterday and I recieved an email from Fedex that a package was shipped from ford racing and it weighs 5 pounds! Thats one hell of a sticker!!!
 
dsekae1021 said:
I know I read that when you get Trackey installed that Ford sends you a sticker or something to place in the engine well that says something about emissions compliance, but is there something else they send as well? I had mine installed yesterday and I recieved an email from Fedex that a package was shipped from ford racing and it weighs 5 pounds! Thats one hell of a sticker!!!

Very interesting. All I received was the sticker and the paperwork detailing the operations for the track key.
 

FLGator

2013 Boss 302 LS #196 - Shadow
122
42
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Florida
Yes you do get a sticker that goes on the driver's side strut tower. I think this one is the CARB compliant sticker. There is also a sticker that comes with the trackey paperwork that goes inside the fuel filler cover. That is the warning that you need to be putting only 91 octane fuel, as a minimum, in the tank.

That 5 lb package sounds like your Boss Owners Kit. Have you received you kit yet?
 

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